Temporal Works and Lee Yuen-Rapati Rethink the Roman Numeral Dial

Temporal Works is expanding its Series A collection with the new Romanesque, a typography-led limited edition created in collaboration with London-based watch designer Lee Yuen-Rapati.

Adorning the dial are Yuen-Rapati’s custom “Colonnade Romans,” an unconventional reinterpretation of traditional Roman numerals originally developed for his One Hour Watch drawing series in 2022. The system reduces the familiar I, V and X forms to combinations of long vertical and short horizontal strokes, with the repeated lines evoking the rhythm of architectural columns.

For the production model, the numerals were softened with subtle tapers and rounded corners, preserving the narrow proportions historically associated with Roman numeral watch and clock dials while giving them a distinctly contemporary character. The typography is emphasized through a two-piece sandwich dial, with each numeral individually laser-cut from a silver-white opaline upper layer to expose the glossy midnight-blue dial beneath.

The watch itself uses Temporal Works’ familiar 37mm Series A monobloc case in 316 stainless steel, measuring 10mm thick and 45mm lug-to-lug, with a dual anti-reflective sapphire crystal and 50 meters of water resistance. A light grey pebble-grain calfskin strap by Jean Rousseau completes the standard configuration, while a custom mesh bracelet produced by Staib is available separately.

Inside, the Romanesque is powered by the manually wound Sellita SW210-1 b D4, an 18-jewel movement operating at 4 Hz with a 42-hour power reserve and quoted accuracy of ±20 seconds per day. Keeping the watch to hours and minutes alone allows the unusual numeral design to remain the focal point, continuing Temporal Works’ emphasis on straightforward mechanics paired with distinctive visual concepts.

Limited to just 50 pieces, the Series A: Romanesque is priced at $2,500 USD and launches on October 16, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET. It will be available through Temporal Works as well as The Armoury online and at its New York City and Hong Kong stores.